Organizer says it’s a ‘regular people’ win

Head started recall, sees it to the finish

Republican George Rivera, right, gestures as he talks with supporters at the Pueblo Freedom and Rights headquarters Tuesday night September 10, 2013 in the 100 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Pueblo, Colo. Rivera will take the seat formerly held by state senator Angela Giron. (Bryan Kelsen, The Pueblo Chieftain)

That’s how Victor Head, one of the main recall organizers with Pueblo Freedom and Rights, summed up the historical recall of state Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, on Tuesday night.

“Here it is — we’re all regular people. No one in here is extraordinarily special, has a big political career or big into organizing. We’re all ordinary people. But when you put something like this together and 100 percent volunteer, we all had our heart in it, not a paycheck,” said Head, a plumber by trade.

In the middle of Head’s speech, the crowd of about 75 at Pueblo Freedom and Right’s headquarters roared in applause as the final results of the recall election flashed on the television.

“Not even our allies necessarily thought we could do this,” Head said. “It just proves the old adage that anything is possible. We wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without all the volunteers. No one thought we could’ve made it this far. The biggest message we’re going to send here is all the money in the world can’t buy an election.”

George Rivera, the Republican candidate who will take Giron’s Senate seat, echoed Head’s gratitude for the grass-root effort.

“It has been amazing to see that when people get together to work, things come together. Things come together for sure,” the former Pueblo deputy police chief said. “I congratulate Pueblo Freedom and Rights on the outcome of the recall election. This recall has been about holding our elected officials accountable.”

This recall wasn’t about political parties, Head said. It was about the controversial and stricter gun laws passed in the last legislative session, and constitutional rights.

While Giron lost in Pueblo, state Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, also was recalled.

“And I have a special message for John Morse,” Head told the crowd. “I don’t know if everyone heard him on MSNBC, saying it wasn’t grass-roots and it was an unemployed plumber who started (the recall). Who’s unemployed now?”